Chrysanthemum plant

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum Plant distinguished from its parent, as well as any other variety known to me, by its darker flower color, an earlier display of bud color, an overall flower response which is three to four days later, and a more coarse flower form due to lateral petal roll and notched petal tips.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemumplant which is a sport of the cultivar Bravo, an unpatented commercialvariety.

This sport was discovered and selected from a flowering of Bravo in mycommercial greenhouses in Encinitas, Calif. in 1976 because of itsdistinctly darker, pleasing color. The distinguishing characteristicswhich are outstanding in the new cultivar and which distinguish it fromits parent are as follows:

1. It has a darker flower color,

2. It shows bud color earlier than its parent,

3. Its overall flower response is three to four days later than itsparent, and

4. It has more coarse flower form due to lateral petal roll and notchedpetal tips.

Asexual reproduction and flowerings of this new cultivar by cuttings wasperformed at Encinitas and Fremont, Calif. in commercial greenhouses.The new cultivar was found to retain its distinctive characteristics aslisted herein through successive propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color photograph illustrates the color of the flowerand foliage as accurately as possible by photographic means. The newcultivar (C.S. 1069) appears on the right and its parent Bravo on theleft.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The following is a detailed description of the new chrysanthemum plantof the present invention. The color terminology used in the following isin accordance with The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart.

The parentage of the new chrysanthemum plant is as follows: Sport of theunpatented commercial cultivar Bravo.

The classification of the new variety is as follows:

Botanical.--Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat.

Commercial.--Pinch Pot Disbud.

The following detailed botanical description is based on observationsmade on Aug. 16, 1978 from plants grown inside my commercial greenhousein Encinitas, Calif.

The height of plant and flower and foliage size established as anaverage using standard commercial cultural practices and the recommended"Medium" treatment of long day control as known in the industry: threeto four weeks long days; plants were pinched and pruned to three leads.The data provided accurately characterizes the sport in question. Datacollected from subsequent flowering trials may deviate slightly from thestated values, but the deviations will be within the range expected fromvarying environmental and cultural conditions. The form of the plant isHerbaceous and it grows in a vigorous semi-upright branching manner. Thefollowing table compares the new cultivar with its parent Bravo.

                  TABLE OF COMPARISON                                             ______________________________________                                                   New Cultivar Bravo                                                 ______________________________________                                        PLANT:                                                                        Height       30.48 cm       30.48 cm                                          Response     81/2 weeks     8 weeks                                           FOLIAGE:                                                                      Color - Upper side                                                                         139 A          139 A                                             Lower side   137 B          137 B                                             Size:        Length 7.62 cm ×                                                                       Length 7.62 cm ×                                         5.08 cm width  5.08 cm width                                     Quantity     Numerous       Numerous                                          Shape        Obvate lobed   Obvate lobed                                      Texture      Coarse         Coarse                                            Ribs and Veins                                                                             Prominent      Prominent                                         Margins      Moderately indented                                                                          Moderately                                                                    indented                                          Serration    Moderate       Moderate                                          Stipules     Moderate       Moderate                                          BLOOM:                                                                        Size         9.53 cm        9.53 cm                                           Borne        Singly on dis- Singly on dis-                                                 budded stems   budded stems                                                                  stems                                             Stem Strength                                                                              Strong         Strong                                            Form         Decorative     Decorative                                        Color:                                                                        Bud          71 A           64 A                                              Center       65 D with broad                                                                              8 D with 181 D                                                 streaks of 62 C                                                                              discoloration                                     Upper side   67 A fading 62 C-D                                                                           Areas of 65 C and                                              along margins  73 B                                                           and apex                                                         Lower side   62 D with 65 A                                                                along bottom of keel                                                                         62 D                                              Tonality 64 C                                                                              62 B                                                             PETALS:                                                                       Texture      Smooth         Smooth                                            Appearance &                                                                  Form         Similar to Bravo                                                                             Mostly open                                                    except a rudimentary                                                                         at base, some are                                              appendage at the                                                                             closed forming a                                               distal end of the tube                                                                       partial tube, flat                                             is sometimes seen on                                                                         shallow keel                                                   florets; more notched                                                                        tapering to a                                                  than Bravo with a                                                                            blunt petal tip                                                longitudinal reflex.                                                                         with a slight re-                                                             verse roll of                                                                 the petal edges.                                  Arrangement  Composite, whorled                                                                           Composite,                                                     on a single receptacle                                                                       whorled on a                                                                  single receptacle                                 Persistence  Resist shattering                                                                            Resist shattering                                 Fragrance    Typical        Typical                                                        chrysanthemum  Chrysanthemum                                     REPRODUCTION                                                                  ORGANS:                                                                       Stamen       0-5            0-5                                               Pollen       Scant          Scant                                             Arrangement  Clustered in   Clustered in                                                   center of flower                                                                             center of flower                                  Styles       Present both   Present both ray                                               ray & disc florets                                                                           & disc florets                                    Length       Medium         Medium                                            Ovaries      At base of petal                                                                             At base of petal                                               attached to receptacle                                                                       attached to                                                                   receptacle                                        ______________________________________                                    

I claim:
 1. A new and distinctive cultivar of chrysanthemum plant,substantially as herein described, and distinguished from its parent bya darker flower color, an earlier display of bud color and an overallflower response which is 3-4 days later, and a more coarse flower formdue to lateral petal roll and/or rudimentary appendages -- notched petaltips.